Friday, September 25, 2009

(CNN) — Iran has admitted the existence of a second uranium enrichment plant in a letter sent to the International Atomic Energy Agency, a U.S. diplomatic source told CNN.

The letter mentioned the facility, located on a military base near the holy city of Qom, the source said. It is thought capable of housing 3,000 centrifuges, not enough to produce nuclear fuel to power a reactor, but sufficient to manufacture bomb-making material, she said.

U.S. and French intelligence officials have known about the facility for several months, the source said. When Iran discovered that Western nations had knowledge of the facility, it sent the letter to the IAEA.